Oat-sprouter.



H. A. STEVENS. on SPROUTER. APPLlCATION FILED JUNE 5, i918.

Patenfed Jan. 7, 1919.

HARRY A. STEVENS, 0F AURORA, ILLINOIS.

OAT-SPBOUTEE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

. Application filed. June 5, 1918. Serial No. 238,254.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY A. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in OatSprouters, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for sprouting oats for poultry feedand has for its primary object the provision of a simple and relativelyinexpensive structure, collapsible to permit storage in a minimum spacewhen not in use, readily set up when needed, movable from place to placeas desired, and adapted to provide for sprouting the maximum quantity ofoats in a unit of space and to sprout the oats in ro tation so that thedevice may be used continuously.

Further objects and advantages of my invention reside in the variouscombinations hereinafter described and claimed as will be apparent as itis better understood by ref erence to the following specification whenread in connection with the accompanying drawing, illustrating thepreferred e1nbodiment thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a view inperspective of the invention Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail inlongitudinal section through a portion of the structure, and

Fig. 3 is a section on the'line 8-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing my invention comprises a collapsible supportfor a plurality of separate pans or receptacles in which the oats aresprouted. More specifically the support consists of a pair ofU- shapedupright members 5, preferably eonstructed of strap iron, and having feet6. Each of the U shaped upright members 5 is provided with a pluralityof transverse rods 7 spaced vertically therein and securely rivetedthereto. Two hooks 8 are connected to the uppermost rod 7 on one of theU shaped members 5 and are provided with hook shaped ends 9 adapted toembrace the uppermost rod 7 on the other U shaped member 5 to maintainthe U shaped members in spaced relation. The structure is braced bydiagonal rods 10 having their lower ends disposed through suitableopenings in the legs of the U shaped members 5 adjacent the lower endsthereof and provided with heads 11 which prevent removal of the rods.The upper ends of the rods are provided with hook shaped ends 12 adaptedto enter suitable openings in the legs of the U shaped members 5adjacent their upper ends. 1 Thus when assembled the U shaped members 5are held and braced in the position indicated in Fig. 1 with thetransverse rods 7 in alinement to support the sprouting pans orreceptacles. The .support is readily dismantled by withdrawing the hookshaped ends 12 from the openings in the legs of the U shaped members 5and releasing the hook shaped members 9 from the rod 7.. The device maythen be compactly arranged for shipment or storage.

A plurality of pans or receptacles are provided the lowermost pan 13being watertight while each of the pans 14: is provided with a pluralityof holes 15 so that liquid applied in the uppermost pan of the serieswill pass downwardly through all of the pans, but is prevented fromreaching the floor or surface upon which the device rests by thelowermost pan which catches all of the surplus water. The pans areconstructed so that when removed from the device.

they may be nested and compactly shipped or stored with the support.

My invention results in numerous advantages. Any one of the pans may beremoved and replaced without disturbing the others. The entire sprouter,being relatively light in weight, may be bodily moved from place toplace as desired and when not in use, the entire structure may bequickly dismantled and easily stored. When needed it is as easilyreassembled for use. The skeleton structure while sufficiently rigid forthe purpose, permits access of air and sunlight to the oats in each ofthe pans so that the maximum efficiency in sprouting is obtained.

Various changes may be made in the form, arrangement and construction ofthe parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention orsacrificing any of its material advantages, the forms hereinbeforedescribed being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In an oats sprouter, the combination of a collapsible supportconsisting of spaced U shaped members, diagonal braces connect: ing saidmembers and having one end separable, therefrom to :permit separation ofsaid members, and a plurality of pans supported by said members.

2. In an oats sprouter,'the combination of a collapsible supportconsisting of spaced U shaped members, longitudinal and diagonal bracesconnecting said members and disengageable therefrom to permit collapsingof the structure, and a plurality of pans supported by said members.

3; In anoats sprouter,the combination of a support consisting of spacedU shaped members, transverse rods connecting the legs of said members,hooks mounted on a transverse rod of one member and engaging atransverse rod on-the other toma ntain said member in spaced relation,and a plurality of pansmounted on said'rods.

of said members, hooks mounted on the uppermost transverse rod of onemember and engaging the corresponding rod on the other member, diagonalbraces connecting the legs of said members, and a plurality of panssupported on said rods.

5. In an oats sprouter, the combination of a support consisting ofspaced 'U shaped members arranged in inverted position with their endsout-turned to form feet, transverse rods connecting-the legs of Saidmembers, a plurality of pans supported on said rods, and diagonal bracessecured at their lower ends to the legs of said members and provided attheir upper ends With hooks to enter openings in said legs.

HARRY A. STEVENS. Witnesses:

MAYBELLE STEVENS, FRANK B. GARBE.

Gopieswf thisfpatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

